SOE 16: Protect This House

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i still have full confidence that we're going to see an album in 2017, because i still have full confidence that we're going to see a TOUR in 2017.

i don't buy any argument that they'll tour without an album... because if they were going to tour without an album, they'd have already done it... and/or would have just put the tickets on sale now to capitalize on the christmas season, as they are known to do.

if we start hearing of tour plans getting pushed back and/or scrapped, well.. that's when you can start panicking over not getting a 2017 release; and because this is U2, that is always a distinct possibility.

but for now, odds are that we'll hear something in early 2017 - probably an album around March-ish, with a tour starting in May. Question would be whether or not it's an indoor or outdoor tour. I'm going to guess stadiums this time... Europe and NA in spring/summer/fall, with some gigs in Australia and South America in the winter, followed by another round of shows next spring/summer.

And then i think they'll go away for a while. Maybe forever, although I doubt they'd say that. I think they'll go away with the intention of "getting into the studio while we're fresh" and having a "quick turn around" and then realzing, 5 years down the line, that they're all in their 60s and can't really do it anymore.
 
i still have full confidence that we're going to see an album in 2017, because i still have full confidence that we're going to see a TOUR in 2017.

i don't buy any argument that they'll tour without an album... because if they were going to tour without an album, they'd have already done it... and/or would have just put the tickets on sale now to capitalize on the christmas season, as they are known to do.

if we start hearing of tour plans getting pushed back and/or scrapped, well.. that's when you can start panicking over not getting a 2017 release; and because this is U2, that is always a distinct possibility.

but for now, odds are that we'll hear something in early 2017 - probably an album around March-ish, with a tour starting in May. Question would be whether or not it's an indoor or outdoor tour. I'm going to guess stadiums this time... Europe and NA in spring/summer/fall, with some gigs in Australia and South America in the winter, followed by another round of shows next spring/summer.

And then i think they'll go away for a while. Maybe forever, although I doubt they'd say that. I think they'll go away with the intention of "getting into the studio while we're fresh" and having a "quick turn around" and then realzing, 5 years down the line, that they're all in their 60s and can't really do it anymore.

I agree with everything here except the stadium part. I just don't think it's in the cards for them anymore, at least in the US. If they were JUST doing a 15 city tour of huge markets, NY, LA, Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Philly, Boston, etc.. then yeah. But if they are going to visit some of the missed areas from SOI, then i think it will be arenas.
 
i still have full confidence that we're going to see an album in 2017, because i still have full confidence that we're going to see a TOUR in 2017.

i don't buy any argument that they'll tour without an album... because if they were going to tour without an album, they'd have already done it... and/or would have just put the tickets on sale now to capitalize on the christmas season, as they are known to do.

if we start hearing of tour plans getting pushed back and/or scrapped, well.. that's when you can start panicking over not getting a 2017 release; and because this is U2, that is always a distinct possibility.

but for now, odds are that we'll hear something in early 2017 - probably an album around March-ish, with a tour starting in May. Question would be whether or not it's an indoor or outdoor tour. I'm going to guess stadiums this time... Europe and NA in spring/summer/fall, with some gigs in Australia and South America in the winter, followed by another round of shows next spring/summer.

And then i think they'll go away for a while. Maybe forever, although I doubt they'd say that. I think they'll go away with the intention of "getting into the studio while we're fresh" and having a "quick turn around" and then realzing, 5 years down the line, that they're all in their 60s and can't really do it anymore.

What gives you the confidence in a 2017 tour? Not doubting, just curious... have there been rumours/speculation about dates being booked? I know there's a rumour floating around of them playing Bonnaroo (though it's very much only a rumour, and we saw with iHeart that they can come from and go back to silence for random gigs, so it might not mean anything even if it's true).

R.E: plans post-SoE, Adam said recently that this will be their last 'normal' album, or something like that, how they won't be working as "intensely" as in the past. So it seems they recognise that the end of things (at least in the current format) is imminent. He also mentions plans for Songs of Ascent, so perhaps that will be the album many fans crave in which there's no fight to craft a hit... a band of 60+ year olds comfortable with not being the biggest band in the world, and making music without the commercial obligation (though he also said it would be more suited to stadiums, so... who knows).
 
What gives you the confidence in a 2017 tour? Not doubting, just curious... have there been rumours/speculation about dates being booked? I know there's a rumour floating around of them playing Bonnaroo (though it's very much only a rumour, and we saw with iHeart that they can come from and go back to silence for random gigs, so it might not mean anything even if it's true).

R.E: plans post-SoE, Adam said recently that this will be their last 'normal' album, or something like that, how they won't be working as "intensely" as in the past. So it seems they recognise that the end of things (at least in the current format) is imminent. He also mentions plans for Songs of Ascent, so perhaps that will be the album many fans crave in which there's no fight to craft a hit... a band of 60+ year olds comfortable with not being the biggest band in the world, and making music without the commercial obligation (though he also said it would be more suited to stadiums, so... who knows).
The band has said repeatedly that they'll be touring in 2017... the strong rumors about Bonnaroo... and we know they're working towards an album that has to be at least in the ballpark of being finished.

So perhaps I should say that I have full confidence that they're planning to tour in 2017... because as we know they can get cold feet and change their minds at the drop or a hat.
 
I agree with everything here except the stadium part. I just don't think it's in the cards for them anymore, at least in the US. If they were JUST doing a 15 city tour of huge markets, NY, LA, Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Philly, Boston, etc.. then yeah. But if they are going to visit some of the missed areas from SOI, then i think it will be arenas.
I wouldn't rule out some sort of arena leg along with stadiums, or perhaps a mix of venues depending on demand... or perhaps just doing as you said and only playing the major markets.

But I think they know that this is at or near the end of their ability to tour an album worldwide, and their chances of one final huge pay day from a worldwide stadium tour.

I also still expect a return to a more traditional U2 sound, with a second album of remixes... a chance to try and grab the best of both worlds, so to speak. Lots of Edge and lots of soaring Bonoisms... and an embrace of what they've done over their careers as opposed to this fear of looking backwards. But that's just a guess.
 
The band has said repeatedly that they'll be touring in 2017... the strong rumors about Bonnaroo... and we know they're working towards an album that has to be at least in the ballpark of being finished.

So perhaps I should say that I have full confidence that they're planning to tour in 2017... because as we know they can get cold feet and change their minds at the drop or a hat.

I guess my fear is that the plans are so fragile. We know they had preliminary dates at some point late this year (or early next year or something) that have been pushed back because of failure to produce a 2016 album. The tour this time depends entirely on the progress of the album, no matter how much they intend to tour in 2017.

Complete speculation (and pessimism) on my part, but I see them going back into the studio, Lillywhite having potentially moved from 'finishing touches mastering guy' to in-studio producer, and his talk of a summer release (on from Adam's march/april), and it all seems like at least a 50% chance of the album going back to square one and taking way longer than a couple months to complete.

I fear we've passed the point of a quick follow up, and that the band has already fallen into the trap of working and re-working everything.

I guess a release soon is still at least 50% possible. I'm not feeling too positive, but let's hope we see something in the spring :up:
 
I guess my fear is that the plans are so fragile. We know they had preliminary dates at some point late this year (or early next year or something) that have been pushed back because of failure to produce a 2016 album. The tour this time depends entirely on the progress of the album, no matter how much they intend to tour in 2017.

Complete speculation (and pessimism) on my part, but I see them going back into the studio, Lillywhite having potentially moved from 'finishing touches mastering guy' to in-studio producer, and his talk of a summer release (on from Adam's march/april), and it all seems like at least a 50% chance of the album going back to square one and taking way longer than a couple months to complete.

I fear we've passed the point of a quick follow up, and that the band has already fallen into the trap of working and re-working everything.

I guess a release soon is still at least 50% possible. I'm not feeling too positive, but let's hope we see something in the spring :up:
It's a real fear, and is always possible. More or less I'm if the thought that as long as they keep talking of a 2017 tour that we will also see an album. If they stop talking, or talk of pushing the tour, then I think the albums dead. In now way so I think they'll tour without an album, as some have been suggesting as a possibility, because if they would do that, they'd have done it already.
 
It's a real fear, and is always possible. More or less I'm if the thought that as long as they keep talking of a 2017 tour that we will also see an album. If they stop talking, or talk of pushing the tour, then I think the albums dead. In now way so I think they'll tour without an album, as some have been suggesting as a possibility, because if they would do that, they'd have done it already.

That's as good an indicator as any! Like you say, there's not going to be a tour without an album, so tour rumours would bode well for SoE. I'm also going to be listening out for quotes from the band saying "it's looking like late summer" or "towards the end of 2017" - I could easily see the album pushed to autumn/early winter, much as i hope for a spring release. If strong tour rumours come up soon, that'll be very promising, but as we've seen this year, nothing is guaranteed.
 
The Bonnaroo rumors seem very strong. The lineup is announced on January 11th. If U2 are actually playing it, that means we should know something about something around January 11th. I find it unlikely that they would just play Bonnaroo as a ONE off. Although there was iHeart... who the fuck knows?


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Lollapalooza would have made more sense than bonnaroo.

Very odd choice for a festival,if you ask me.
 
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It's a real fear, and is always possible. More or less I'm if the thought that as long as they keep talking of a 2017 tour that we will also see an album. If they stop talking, or talk of pushing the tour, then I think the albums dead. In now way so I think they'll tour without an album, as some have been suggesting as a possibility, because if they would do that, they'd have done it already.

https://www.instagram.com/u2/

They are really plugging this Omaze competition thing aren't they? Would they really do that if a tour in 2017 was very unlikely? Apart from "cause U2" of course!
 
I had been worried - with them back in the studio - that they'd gone back to square one, and a release anytime soon was off the table.

But, I suppose if they're plugging a 2017 rehearsal, it must mean they think the album will be out fairly soon (I think a late 2017 release would push the tour to 2018), so perhaps, at least for now, they're still in 'finishing touches' mode and anticipate an early/mid 2017 release date.

We'll see what they say (or don't) in the next month or so.
 
The rumor of U2 playing Boonaroo Festival is complete BS. Show me a single hint. It's nothing but Twitter postings and people talking about a rumor. But there is none! It's so ridiculous that this so called rumor is even mentioned here.

A U2 tour is for sure in 2017. Remember the Ohio date? Remember Omaze deleting the 2017? And of course this is an arena tour!
 
I had been worried - with them back in the studio - that they'd gone back to square one, and a release anytime soon was off the table.

But, I suppose if they're plugging a 2017 rehearsal, it must mean they think the album will be out fairly soon (I think a late 2017 release would push the tour to 2018), so perhaps, at least for now, they're still in 'finishing touches' mode and anticipate an early/mid 2017 release date.

We'll see what they say (or don't) in the next month or so.

Agreed. The ONLY thing that has given me any hope is that the Omaze thing is calling it a 'rehearsal'. if it were being called a 'performance', i would be without hope.
 
I can't see U2 doing festivals anymore.

Glastonbury seemed to be shit (for them) as they were nervous and it showed in some sloppiness of the songs.

I don't think U2's songs really fit festivals, and it just takes them so long to get into a groove.

The silence is still a good thing I reckon. Yes we did get an Adam art photo, but we've seen nothing of Edge and Bono. The less we see of those two, the better. I get the sense that Adam and Larry are only called in when a song is pretty much formed.
 
I can't see U2 doing festivals anymore.

Glastonbury seemed to be shit (for them) as they were nervous and it showed in some sloppiness of the songs.

I don't think U2's songs really fit festivals, and it just takes them so long to get into a groove.

The silence is still a good thing I reckon. Yes we did get an Adam art photo, but we've seen nothing of Edge and Bono. The less we see of those two, the better. I get the sense that Adam and Larry are only called in when a song is pretty much formed.

The last I saw of Bono and the Edge was on Facebook with the Omaze thing.
Edge looking in fine form, and Bono looking like someone just fed him his split pea soup and is going to be wheeling him down to bingo in a few minutes.
Jesus, what is up with his "look"??!!
 
The rumor of U2 playing Boonaroo Festival is complete BS. Show me a single hint. It's nothing but Twitter postings and people talking about a rumor. But there is none! It's so ridiculous that this so called rumor is even mentioned here.

A U2 tour is for sure in 2017. Remember the Ohio date? Remember Omaze deleting the 2017? And of course this is an arena tour!
Well, the same people who are saying U2 will play are also saying the Chili Peppers and the Weeknd will play, and their schedules seem to suggest that this is true.

So it's not baseless, but obviously not confirmed until it's confirmed.
 
The last I saw of Bono and the Edge was on Facebook with the Omaze thing.
Edge looking in fine form, and Bono looking like someone just fed him his split pea soup and is going to be wheeling him down to bingo in a few minutes.
Jesus, what is up with his "look"??!!
The irish don't age well. Bono is a prime example.
 
The irish don't age well. Bono is a prime example.

what a difference a year makes...

2016

12244906_bono-fires-trump-at-u2-show_67be0718_m.jpg


2015

world-aids-day-bono.jpg
 
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